organic immortelle

ORGANIC IMMORTELLE
from corsica
supply chain report
aPril 2014
CONTENTS
Introduction
p 03. Supply chains: the L’OCCITANE
commitment
p 04. Keys events in 2013
A UNIQUE FLOWER AND A UNIQUE
LAND
p 07. The golden sun of the corsica maquis
p 08. Proven effectiveness
THE PLANTATION PROGRAMME:
A PIONEERING APPROACH
p 09. 10 years of partnership and 50 hectares
under cultivation
p 05. Immortelle: eternal, legendary and
captivating
p 10. A partnership with committed producers,
deeply attached to their land
p 06. A flower with renowned anti-ageing
properties
p 11 BIODIVERSITY - FRIENDLY PRACTICES
à 14.
SUPPLY CHAINS:the L'OCCITANE
COMMITMENT
Priorities: LOCAL, TRACEABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY
and EQUITY.
L’OCCITANE takes a committed approach to the supply of its ingredients and forges long-term partnerships with high added value, built
on trust and respect.
Priority is given to small, integrated supply chains, in order to have
control over the traceability and quality of the raw materials right up
to their delivery.
Since 2008, a dedicated team
has guaranteed the quality of the
Group's supplies and takes steps to
develop sustainable supply chains,
working directly with producers.
60 traceable supply chains
Over 200 partners in France
Over 30 contracts
The story of the L’OCCITANE Group is intimately linked to
plants, but also to the men and women who grow them.
Founder of L’OCCITANE
3
IMMORTELLE
10 years ago, L'OCCITANE took steps to
avoid putting too much pressure on the
wild areas of Corsica and secure supplies of
immortelle. It set up an organic immortelle
plantation programme, using environmentally friendly methods and starting with an
area of 50 hectares. All of its actions were
rewarded by the "Coup de Cœur du jury"
award within the framework of the "Prix
Entreprises & Environnement" business
and environment awards, organized by
the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable
Development & Energy and the ADEME.*
See behind the scenes of our Immortelle
industry in Corsica as you read this report.
* French Environment and Energy Management Agency
Key EVENTS
IN 2013
The plantation programme
2 new producers
celebrates its 10th anniversary!
join the adventure! A total of 8 partner
pickers and distillers.
Over 50 hectares
of organic cultivation in Corsica, with new
plots of land already being planted!
10 field missions
carried out each year by agricultural engineers and technicians, to supervise and
train the farmers in good cultivation and
harvesting practices.
Coup de cœur du jury
L'OCCITANE was rewarded for its
actions with the "Coup de Cœur du
jury" award for biodiversity at the "Prix
Entreprises & Environnement" awards
organized by the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development & Energy
and the ADEME.
Contracts now covering a period
of seven years (previously five).
L'OCCITANE strengthens its commitment to the producers by increasing the
length of contracts.
4
Immortelle : ETERNAL,
legendary and captivating
Immortelle owes its name to its exceptional
longevity, for the flower never fades, even after it
has been picked…
Its Latin name, Helichrysum, means "golden sun" – which describes its
magnificent golden flowers. For the people of Corsica, immortelle is a
flower with a captivating scent that is emblematic of the maquis – the
island's fragrant scrubland.
The analysis made by our fragrance evaluator shows that the scent of
immortelle evokes warm colours with red and orange hues. Warm
and dry floral notes, with balsamic undertones, are also distinctly
present.
It is said that, in the 19th century, Napoleon's boat was guided by the
powerful, aromatic scents of this plant when he returned home to
Corsica.
5
goLden
sun
A FLOWER WITH RENOWNED
anti-ageing PROPERTIES
A Greek myth from Homer's Odyssey traces the existence
of immortelle even further back and evokes its anti-ageing
and anti-bruising properties. It tells of how Princess
Nausicaa, who saves Odysseus when he is shipwrecked,
rubbed his body with immortelle as an elixir of youth.
In Corsica, immortelle is used by the older generation, who point out its ability
to help reduce bruising and treat burns.These properties are now used to
advantage in aromatherapy.
Immortelle essential oil was analysed by the L'OCCITANE Laboratories, who
discovered that it contains unique anti-ageing active ingredients, including a particular molecule: neryl acetate.
6
the golden sun
of the CORSICAN MAQUIS
The Balagne region is also known as the
"garden of Corsica". It was here, at the heart of
the island's fragrant maquis, that L'OCCITANE
discovered this extraordinary wild plant in 2001.
Relative Abundance
Helichrysum italicum ssp italicum from Corsica must not be
confused with its cousins from Italy or the Balkans, which are not
the same.
Neryl acetate
100
Of the 500 recorded species of Helichrysum, the
immortelle endemic to corsica has specific properties.
Its high concentration of the anti-ageing active ingredient,
neryl acetate, gives it a unique quality, which is due to:
• The intrinsic qualities of the plant
• The terroir (soil, climate, region) and ecosystems
• Local knowledge and skills
• Sun exposure
100
80
80
60
60
40
40
20
20
0
0
ORIGIN: CORSica
Neryl acetate
ORIGIN: BALKANS
Chromatographic profiles of immortelle essential oil
7
Proven
2009
2
EFFECTIVENESS
L’OCCITANE has filed five patents,
which attest to the innovative
nature of its research into the
remarkable anti-ageing effectiveness
of its face care products made with
immortelle from Corsica combined
with other active ingredients.
ND
and 3RD patents:
combination of immortelle and myrtle
essential oils and natural active ingredients
2001
2011
4
1 PATENT
st
TH
patent:
immortelle cell
extract
immortelle
essential oil
2013
5
TH
patent:
complex of naturally derived active ingredients
To allow additional biological activities, L’OCCITANE selected:
- New immortelle cell extracts, obtained using an ecological and innovative extraction technique that fragments the very "core" of the flower.
- Its powerful active ingredients: immortelle essential oil, obtained by distillation and
floral water.
8
An innovative programme that is
celebrating its 10th anniversary
THE IMMORTELLE RANGE
Originally, the immortelle plant was picked in the wild, in the Corsican
maquis. The L'OCCITANE Immortelle face care range was launched
in 2001 and was an immediate success. As this success continued to
grow, so did the need for immortelle essential oil. When the flowers
are picked in accordance with sustainable guidelines, this actually
"cleans" the maquis and indirectly helps to prevent fires.
However, this method, used in the past, did not ensure a sustainable
supply of immortelle and there was a risk of putting too much pressure
on the wild areas of Corsica. As a result, L’OCCITANE set up the first
plantation programme in Corsica in 2004, with 50 hectares of immortelle planted using organic methods, to protect the natural environment
and encourage biodiversity.
9
2001
2003
2004
Launch of
the Immortelle range
First germination trials in
Corsica
- First hectare planted
- Launch of programme no 1
(objective: 50 ha)
- A pioneering approach in a unique
terroir (soil, climate, region, etc.)
- A range that has been symbolic
of L’OCCITANE since 2001
A COMPLETE AND INTEGRATED SUPPLY CHAIN
- Quality and traceability are guaranteed from the harvest to
the distillation of the plant, which is carried out in five distilleries in
Corsica.
- L’OCCITANE has contributed financially to setting up the
cultivation, while its commitment to the producers and distillers is
demonstrated through multi-year contracts.
2007
First "real" harvest
2011
Launch of programme no. 2
(objective: 60 ha of cultivation)
A partnership with committed producers,
deeply attached to their LAND
Determined to make this programme
an innovative and sustainable project,
L'OCCITANE works with local and Provençal
technicians to find appropriate, ecosystemfriendly technical approaches.
The producers are mainly located on the
eastern coast of Corsica and in the Balagne
region, which offer a wide range of pedoclimatic
and environmental conditions.
The support of local organizations and the
funding from L'OCCITANE for the plantation
programme have been levers to convince the
farmers to join this adventure.
The immortelle industry is based around 8
corsican farmers and distillers who produce the
essential oil, as well as technicians who supervise
the project, and L’OCCITANE, who provides
an outlet for the total volume produced.
1 TON OF IMMORTELLE
= approx. 2 kg of essential oil
10
Choosing organic farming,
to respect THE ENVIRONMENT
The yellow immortelle flowers do not need any
special treatment: these hardy, robust plants are
used to the arid soil of the maquis.
This production method makes it possible to protect the
environment and support non-polluting farming methods. The
agronomic techniques practised help to preserve soil fertility and
invigoratethe soil.
The prohibition of the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and
GMO seeds contributes to the quality of the water and helps to
preserve the landscape and genetic heritage of the region.
Helichrysum italicum is adapted to the Mediterranean climate and
needs no irrigation. As a result, it does not have a negative effect
on water management.
Our plots of immortelle are certified in accordance with the European
organic farming standards and controlled by Ecocert.
11
CONSERVING natural
RESOURCES
Due to its insularity and the diversity of its landscapes,
Corsica is home to over 3,000 PLANT SPECIES. IMMORTELLE
belongs to the 5% of ENDEMIC species.
In order to preserve the sites where immortelle
grows naturally, as well as the genetic heritage
of Helichrysum italicum, the plots of land were
planted with seeds from wild immortelle plants
that grow close to the cultivation areas. This
practice makes it possible to preserve the genetic diversity of the plant and ensure a continuity
between the natural and cultivated environments
without any negative interactions.
An application has been filed for the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) label, and a workshop
dedicated to the production of certified-organic
plants is now operational in Upper Corsica.
12
AGRO-ECOLOGICAL practices
to support BIODIVERSITY
The banks and hedges are preserved,
to provide an ecological reserve
for the fauna and flora.
The plots of land are farmed semiextensively or extensively, in
particular by sheep grazing, to limit
the use of mechanized equipment.
The low input needs of the cultivation help to considerably reduce the
impact of production
on climate change.
Sheep grazing on natural
grass cover
13
Ecological continuity of the
agro-pastoral areas
Recognition for our actions
supporting biodiversity
All of the actions taken with
our eight Corsican partners
to combine the securing of
supplies with respect for
the environment have been
rewarded by the "COUP DE CŒUR
DU JURY" award for BIODIVERSITY.
A DESIRE FOR CONTINUITY
Communication about the plantation programme has given
momentum to the Corsican immortelle industry and the
region now has over 100 hectares of organically immortelle.
The L’OCCITANE programme has re-energized the aromatic and medicinal plant industry, enabling young farmers to
become professionalized thanks to the supervision of the
technicians.
To ensure the sustainability of this industry and renew
ageing cultivations, a second plantation programme has
been set up. In just two years, 80% of the target (to plant
60 hectares) has been achieved.
aPril 2014
14
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